Situated in the plush areas of Madhapur, Baby Lamb has brightly lit interiors, plant pots, and leather sofa seating. We visited the space for a weekday lunch and as we explored the menu, we observed that it is highly influenced by Andhra, Telangana, and Hyderabadi cuisines. It also has an elaborate spread of non-vegetarian options. If you are a meat lover, then this place might just be the right pick for you. After going through their menu, we placed our order.
The city cannot do without the local non-vegetarian breakfast dishes and so we were happy to see that Baby Lamb has introduced over 10 options to choose from. We opted for the Paya Paratha, and the dish came with a Malabar paratha and not the tandoori naan that we are used to. We poured the whole bowl of paya curry over the paratha and dug in. The curry was spicy and flavourful and the meat came off the bone effortlessly. We highly recommend you pick this.
For appetisers, the chef suggested their Chicken Keema Mirchi Bajji — the slit green chillies came stuffed with spiced chicken keema cooked with onions and garlic. While these particular chillies were mildly-spicy, the keema added the right hint of heat to the plate. A bowl of Konaseema Royyala Vepudu arrived and had all our attention. We particularly loved the shrimps, which were crispy, fresh, and loaded with native flavours. They were topped with fried chillies and tidbits of golden onions and garlic. This was too spicy for our palate, so we took a big sip of the refreshing fresh lime sodas.
For the main course, we picked their signature Baby Lamb Biryani. While we waited for the biryani, we learned that the recipe has been passed down over generations. A rage at Vijayawada’s popular Continental Hotel, the founders (who own both Continental and Baby Lamb), decided to give this humble recipe a platform in Hyderabad too. When we sampled the dish, we noticed that the lamb was delightfully juicy and tender. The rice itself was aromatic and was flavoured with ghee, saffron, and spices like cardamom and mace. And, when we paired it with the juicy meat, it offered a burst of flavours. We also liked that while it was generously topped with green chillies, the biryani plate was not overwhelmingly spicy — it was comforting, and light and we had generous helpings from the bowl.
We wrapped things up with the quintessential Double Ka Meetha. The fried bread, soaked in sugar syrup, was topped with roasted pistachios and satiated our sweet cravings — well, atleast for this week!
Rs 1,200 for two. At Madhapur.
— bsuchitra@newindianexpress.com